1. Technical Field
The invention concerns a handle for a catheter, particularly for a catheter used in electrophysiology.
2. Background of the Invention
A catheter for electrophysiological use customarily comprises a catheter body carrying a juncture at its proximal end and a flexible part at its distal end, on which are arranged a plurality of electrodes which may be annular electrodes. These electrodes are provided to measure the potential, for example, by being applied against the interior wall of the heart or of a blood vessel. The electrodes can also be used for the destruction of certain bodily tissues by electrical ablation or radio-frequency.
At its opposite end from the body of the catheter, the juncture of the catheter comprises an electrical connector to secure the connection between the interior conductors arranged within the catheter and the electrodes, and the exterior conductors terminating on the measuring apparatuses.
To indicate the position of the distal end of the catheter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,275 discloses a cylindrical ring arranged on the juncture of the catheter, running coaxial with the catheter, and provided with a window. When the ring is set in rotation, the window is moved displaying index markings, each of which corresponds to an identified position of the distal end of the catheter. Thus, when the catheter has been placed in an identified position, the operator then pivots the ring until the window displays the index marking corresponding to the identified position. The drawback of this coaxial arrangement of a cylindrical ring is due to the variable position of the window, which is not always on the side of the juncture of the catheter which is most visible to the operator.